Othello – Act 4 Scene 2 Enter DESDEMONA DESDEMONA My lord, what is your will? OTHELLO Pray you, chuck, come hither. DESDEMONA What is your pleasure? OTHELLO Let me see your eyes. Look in my face. DESDEMONA What horrible fancy's this? I understand a fury in your words, But not the words. OTHELLO Why, what art thou? DESDEMONA Your wife, my lord; your true and loyal wife. OTHELLO Swear thou art honest. DESDEMONA Heaven doth truly know it. OTHELLO Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell. DESDEMONA To whom, my lord? With whom? How am I false? OTHELLO O Desdemona! Away! Away! Away! DESDEMONA Alas the heavy day! Why do you weep? Am I the motive of these tears, my lord? If haply you my father do suspect An instrument of this your calling back, Lay not your blame on me. If you have lost him, I have lost him too. OTHELLO Had it pleased heaven To try me with affliction, had they rained All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head, Steeped me in poverty to the very lips, Given to captivity me and my utmost hopes, I should have found in some place of my soul A drop of patience. But, alas, to make me A fixed figure for the time of scorn To point his slow unmoving finger at! DESDEMONA I hope my noble lord esteems me honest. OTHELLO O, ay, as summer flies are in the shambles, That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed, Who art so lovely fair, and smell'st so sweet That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne'er been born! DESDEMONA Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed? OTHELLO Was this fair paper, this most goodly book, Made to write 'whore' upon? What committed? Committed? O thou public commoner! Heaven stops the nose at it, and the moon winks; The bawdy wind that kisses all it meets Is hushed within the hollow mine of earth, And will not hear it. What committed? Impudent strumpet! DESDEMONA By heaven, you do me wrong. OTHELLO Are you not a strumpet? DESDEMONA No, as I am a Christian! If to preserve this vessel for my lord From any other foul unlawful touch Be not to be a strumpet, I am none. OTHELLO What, not a whore? DESDEMONA No, as I shall be saved! OTHELLO Is't possible? DESDEMONA O, heaven forgive us! OTHELLO I cry you mercy, then. I took you for that cunning whore of Venice That married with Othello. [He Exits]